The Doctrine of Last Things 1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Doctrine of Last Things 1</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id246.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Doctrine of the Church, Part Two"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id158.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Doctrine of Last Things 2"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Article</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U>Biblical and Theological Studies</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U><B>Sermon Notes</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Doctrine of Last Things, Part 1</B></div> <div> Stanley Baker</div> <div> <I><B>1. The Millennial Views</B></I> </div> <div> A. Amillennialism </div> <div> Amillennialism is the view that the Bible does not warrant the expectation of a literal earthly kingdom, that prophecies regarding a kingdom for Israel were only spiritual. The present spiritual kingdom of God, the church age, will be followed immediately by the eternal, heavenly kingdom of God. </div> <bR> <div> B. Postmillennialism </div> <div> Postmillennialism is the belief that the second coming of Christ will follow after the millennial kingdom of God, leading directly into the eternal state. The kingdom of God is currently being expanded in the world by the preaching of the Gospel, and the world is expected to become Christianized before the Lord returns. </div> <bR> <div> C. Premillennialism </div> <div> The Lord is expected to return at a future time to set up his literal millennial kingdom on the earth; he will rule on the throne of David over all the earth, having restored the nation of Israel to righteousness, peace, and prosperity. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>2. The Basis for Premillennialism</B></I> </div> <div> A. The Concept of the Kingdom of God </div> <div> Premillennialism is based on a literal understanding of what the Bible teaches regarding Israel and her future as a nation. The Messiah was expected to come and redeem Israel, and this included deliverance from her enemies and oppressors and the reestablishment of Davidic rule by the Messiah (Acts 1.6). The Messiah did indeed come, but he did not at that time establish his earthly rule (Acts 1.7-9). The covenants of the Old Testament, if read literally, demand that the Messiah return to establish his kingdom on earth, which is said to last one thousand years (Revelation 20). So while we understand that in a sense God rules the universe and all that is in it, we look forward to the time when his reign will be literally, physically on the earth through his representative Jesus the Messiah. </div> <bR> <div> B. The Biblical Covenants </div> <div> An unconditional biblical covenant made between God and men is a solemn statement made by God to certain people, of what God promises to do (Jeremiah 33.17-21). God declares by grace to a certain group of people that he is obligating himself to perform or bring to pass definite blessings for them as the covenanted ones. A conditional covenant is one in which God proposes an agreement by which he will bless them with specific promises if they fulfill the conditions that he lays out; or he will bring punishment if they fail to fulfill the conditions. </div> <div> The unconditional covenants provide a legitimate basis for premillennialism. If we understand them to be literal, unconditional, and eternal then we are yet looking for their fulfillment in a literal kingdom reign on earth. These covenants were given to Israel, not to be specifically fulfilled by the church (though church may have some benefits as a result). The four unconditional covenants upon which premillennialism is based are: </div> <bR> <div> 1. The Abrahamic Covenant, (Genesis 12.1-3; 13.14-17; 13.16; 15.4-21; 17.1-19; 22.15-18). </div> <div> This covenant was made personally to Abraham and his seed, having implications that extend forever. God promised to bless him and give him a great name, to make him a channel of blessing to others, to miraculously give an heir by Sarah, to make of him a great nation with their own permanent homeland, through which all nations would be blessed. The elements of this covenant with Abraham are further developed in the Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenants. </div> <bR> <div> 2. The Palestinian Covenant, (Deut 30.1-10) </div> <div> This covenant is a guarantee of Israel's permanent right to the land that God originally gave to her, an unconditional covenant to be fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom. Even if Israel is scattered to the ends of the earth, God will gather them and return them to full control of the land he has given to them. </div> <bR> <div> 3. The Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7.12-16) </div> <div> A dynasty was promised to David's lineage forever, allowing his family to rule on the throne, ultimately of the whole earth and the universe forever. This was an eternal and unconditional promise that will be fulfilled in the earthly millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose rule will continue forever. </div> <bR> <div> 4. The New Covenant (Jer 31.31-34) </div> <div> This is the basis by which God will bless Israel in the future, through their redemption. It is an unconditional promise to give the people of Israel a new heart. God's law will written on their hearts. Their sin will be removed and no longer remembered. The Holy Spirit will teach and lead them, allowing them to completely obey the King. This redemption of Israel is yet future. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>3. The Dispensations</B></I> </div> <div> A. An outline of the biblical dispensations </div> <div> 1. The Dispensation of Promise, or Patriarchal Rule. </div> <div> God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, that he would make of him a great nation, and out of his family, blessing would come upon all the families of the earth. His one family and nation were a representative test of all in believing and serving God. Abraham and his family were given the responsibility to walk before God and keep his commands (Genesis 17.1, 18.19). To an extent, they were for a time successful in doing so, but they did eventually fall away, serving other gods (Exodus 32.1-6, Joshua 24.14). </div> <bR> <div> 2. The Dispensation of the Law of Moses (Exodus 20.1-7) </div> <div> God revealed in very specific terms his will to his people Israel following the Exodus from bondage in Egypt in giving them the Law through Moses. They were to keep all the law, and while there were believing Jews who consistently observed the Law, the nation as a whole gradually moved away from God toward idols. The law was never intended to save people, but to be the gracious "finger of God" pointing the way for redeemed people to live and thus experience God's blessing. </div> <bR> <div> 3. The Dispensation of God's Grace, particularly to the Gentiles (Ephesians 3.1-6; Titus 2.11-14). </div> <div> In this the present age, God has expanded his focus to include the Gentiles, upon whom he is pouring out his grace through Jesus Christ. Men everywhere are commanded to repent and accept the grace of God. However, many will refuse this grace. Those who accept the grace of God commanded to follow the law of Christ, clearly spelled out in the New Testament. </div> <bR> <div> 4. The Dispensation of the Messiah's Earthly Millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 2.1-3; Luke 1.32-33). </div> <div> This dispensation follows the second advent of Messiah Jesus, who will set up his rule over all the earth from Jerusalem. This will be a literal fulfillment of the promises of the covenants (particularly the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants) and related promises in the Old and New Testaments. This will last for one thousand years ("millennium"). Revelation 20.7-9 records an attack on Christ's government by rebels near the end of the thousand years. This will demonstrate that even in a virtually perfect environment, many still simply choose to be rebellious against God. </div> <div> Many dispensational schemes also include a dispensation of created man, or innocence (Genesis 1.28-29, 2.15-17); the dispensation of moral responsibility, or conscience (following the fall of man); and the dispensation of human government (Genesis 8-11). </div> <bR> <div> B. The Essence of Dispensationalism </div> <div> Believing that there are legitimate dispensations in Scripture does not make one a dispensationalist. There are three essential elements one holds to that make him a dispensationalist. These include consistently interpreting Scripture literally; recognizing a consistent distinction between Israel and the church; and seeing the doxological purpose of God in human history. </div> <div> The essence of dispensationalism is tied to a consistent "literal" hermeneutic. Literal hermeneutics is understanding the text in a grammatical-historical way, allowing the words in the text to have a normal meaning in their genre and context. This certainly includes such forms as figures of speech and hyperbole. The text is also to be understood in the point of view of the author and his original hearers, to such an extent as this is possible. In addition to a literal hermeneutic, dispensationalism also recognizes the priority of the Old Testament. Rather than trying to interpret the Old Testament based on a current understanding of the New Testament, dispensationalism demands that we use a correct literal (normal) understanding of the Old Testament text as at least background information when seeking to understand the New Testament text. The meaning of the Old Testament is not dictated by the New Testament. Instead, we seek to understand the New Testament in light of the what the Old Testament teaches. This is how dispen-sationalists can arrive at an understanding that there will be a literal, earthly kingdom, rather than just the spiritual kingdom, devoid of temporal, earthly significance. At least one very basic reason for understanding the Bible literally, particularly prophecy, is that many of the prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah were fulfilled literally. </div> <div> In addition to literal hermeneutics tied to a correct theological method of the priority of the Hebrew Scriptures, another essential of dispensationalism is seeing a consistent distinction in the program of God between Israel and the church. This is a natural result of a grammatical-historical understanding of the Old and New Testaments, beginning with the Old Testament. </div> <div> Finally, dispensationalists hold to the concept that the unifying principle in God's revelation is his purpose to bring glory to himself. All that he is seeking to do in human history, including the salvation of humans, is done to give him the glory that he rightly deserves and demands (Ephesians 1.11-12, 14; 2.7).</div> <div>  </div> <div> <I><B>7. General Eschatology</B></I> </div> <div> A. Death and the intermediate state</div> <div> 1. Death: </div> <div> Death in it's basic sense is separation. Physical death is the temporary separation of the material (body) and immaterial (soul) parts of humans. Most human beings will experience this kind of death (Hebrews 9.27). Another kind of death is spiritual death, being separated from life with God. All humans are born in this state of death. Some however are miraculously made alive spiritually (Ephesians 2.1-7). A third kind of death is eternal death, being separated from the very presence of God for all of eternity. All who remain spiritually dead in their human earthly existence will suffer eternal death (Revelation 20.15). </div> <bR> <div> 2. Sheol: </div> <div> Sheol, spoken of in the Old Testament, appears to refer to death and the afterlife in a generic way (2 Samuel 22.6; Psalm 49.14) in addition to sometimes referring to a specific place where one goes upon death, a "holding place" for the dead. </div> <bR> <div> 3. The Intermediate State: </div> <div> This question deals with the nature of the person between the time he dies and the time of the resurrection of his body. It is clear from Scripture that the bodies of humans will be resurrected and renewed (outfitted for an eternal, immortal existence) and a specific time associated with the return of Christ (1 Corinthians 15.50-57; 2 Corinthians 5.1-5; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18). But what is not so clear is the nature of the person between when he loses his earthly body and gains his heavenly, renewed body. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16, certain elements about their nature are revealed. The rich man is in torment in flames, and desires Lazarus to cool his tongue with a dip of water (physical things). He could also recognize Abraham and Lazarus by sight. This does not sound much different than our normal human existence, except that the tormenting flames do not seem to consume the rich man. However, Luke's purpose in the passage is not to give information about the nature of life after death, particularly the intermediate state. And we do not know if this is an actual event, or a parable of our Lord designed to make a point without using actual events. </div> <bR> <div> 4. The Two-Compartment theory: </div> <div> The Two-Compartment Theory is the idea that Sheol, being the place of the dead, included all of the dead, both righteous and wicked, before Christ and his cross. There was the side where the righteous went, and the side where the wicked went. This place is thought to be under the earth's crust. Supposedly, the righteous dead were escorted by Christ during his time in the grave from Sheol to heaven and the presence of God (cited passages are 1 Peter 3.19-20 and 4.6, as well as Ephesians 4.8). Also, the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16.19-31 gives indication of the possibility that the place of the dead includes both the righteous and wicked, though in separate compartments. However, the correct interpretations of these passages is far from clear, hence, unconvincing. </div> <bR> <div> B. The Various resurrections </div> <div> The resurrections in Scripture begin with the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (Luke 24.5). He was not the first to be risen from the dead, but his resurrection was unique in that he was the first to rise, never to die again (1 Corinthians 15.20; Revelation 1.18). Another resurrection will be that of church-age saints at the time of Christ's return for his church (1 Thessalonians 4.16). Another resurrection will be following the tribuation period but just before the millennial kingdom, including tribulation saints (and possibly Old Testament saints; Revelation 20.4-6). A final resurrection will be after the thousand years (Revelation 20.5, 12), including the unbelievers who have died. They will be raised up to face the judgment of God and deliverance to eternal suffering in hell. </div> <bR> <div> C. The Resurrection State: </div> <div> The nature of the resurrected state was modeled first by Jesus after he was raised from the dead. It seems that the kind of resurrected body he has will be the same kind or very similar to the kind of resurrected body we have (Romans 8.11, the Spirit makes both him and us alive; 1 Corinthians 15.20, Christ is the "first fruits" of those who have died). Jesus was the first to rise from the dead, never to die again (Acts 26.23; Revelation 1.18). Jesus has a resurrected body made alive by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8.11; 1 Corinthians 15.44 "spiritual body"); but it also is a physical body (Luke 24.36-43, able to be touched, able to eat). However, the physical aspects of his body are without the physical limitations that we currently experience (Luke 24.31; John 20.19). </div> <bR> <div> D. The Various Judgments </div> <div> The first judgment deals specifically with the church. It is the judgment at which the lives of Christians will be evaluated as to how they conducted themselves on the earth. What was done in the flesh, both good and bad, will receive its recompense, such as a reward or lack thereof (2 Corinthians 5.10). This judgment may take place soon after the arrival of the church in heaven, during the time of the tribulation on earth. </div> <div> The second judgment deals specifically with the Beast, the False Prophet, and Satan (Revelation 19.20, 20.10). First, the Beast and the False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire, followed after the thousand year reign of Christ by the devil himself. </div> <div> A third judgment is known as the Great White Throne Judgment (describing the kind of throne John saw in his vision, Revelation 20.11-15). "The dead," unbelievers who have been resurrected for this judgment, are judged according to their works, and their ultimate doom is set because their names are not found in the Book of Life. Following this judgment, all of these are thrown into the Lake of Fire.</div> <bR> <div> E. The Eternal state </div> <div> All humans are immortal; all will be outfitted for an eternal existence either in heaven or in hell (1 Corinthians 15.53; Revelation 20.4-5). </div> <bR> <div> 1. Hell: </div> <div> Hell, also known as the Lake of Fire, is a place of eternal punishment and torment reserved specifically for the devil and his angels, but also including all of those who rejected Christ (Matthew 25.41). Humans will be given a resurrection body that will allow them to suffer the torments of hell forever without being consumed as they would in the present state. </div> <div> The wicked are cast in lake of fire following the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20.11-15. Prior to this, the Beast and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19.20), and the devil is also cast in after he is released from the pit (Revelation 20.10). That hell is forever is evidenced in such passages as Matthew 25.46 (eternal punishment is contrasted with eternal life) and Revelation 20.10 (the devil will be tormented day and night forever and ever). </div> <bR> <div> 2. Heaven: </div> <div> Heaven, when speaking of eternality, refers to the dwelling place of God (Psalm 2.4; Matthew 6.9; 2 Corinthians 12.2, the third heaven). When a believer goes into the presence of God upon physical death, it is heaven to which he goes to be with the Lord forever (2 Corinthians 5.6-8; Matthew 25.46). There will be a time when earth and heaven unite as the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21.1), as the eternal dwelling place of God and his righteous ones. </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id158.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Doctrine of Last Things 2"><U>Part Two</U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 1999, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>